So Far...So Good!

Sunday was a busy busy day for this momma! I was so excited to check out Sunday's coupons, that I almost got out of bed when I woke up at 4:30! Almost.

The coupons were pretty slim pickin's this week but I was able to match up a couple of things. After Alec got back from grocery shopping, I matched up my coupons with this week's sales and headed out! At Walgreens, I bought $22 worth of stuff for only $3! Then at Target, I got a prescription filled and received a $10 gift card. I used this to by myself a fancy new coupon binder!

Here's my new binder!

It zips all the way around and has 1 1/2 inch rings. On the left side, there is an expandable file. This is where I stash my inserts/circulars (Walgreens, Target, Reasors, Food Pyramid, WalMart, CVS). I have a pencil pouch which holds my scissors and pens. I added a spiral notebook so I can jot down who has what on sale and what coupon I have to match that sale item. Then there are my coupons! I found another couponer's website and she had a table of contents and divider pages which I printed on thick paper. I'm using baseball card holder sheets to hold my coupons.

So I think I'm all set as far as couponing is concerned. Oh - lesson learned? Discuss with dear hubby what is on sale and what I have coupons for. Target had fruit cups on sale for $2 this week. I have a .75/2 coupon. Said coupon did not make it to the store with dear hubby. We totally could've owned those fruit cups for $1.63 each! ARGH!

As far as meal planning goes...well, today was better than yesterday! First of all, I have never dealt with a whole raw chicken. Let me say....I probably never will again. After I cut open the packaging, that poor bird flopped out into my sink. I picked it up and immediately had the heebie jeebies. I think I even gagged a few times. I had all sorts of plans about shoving a lemon where the sun don't shine and seasoning the heck out of that thing! Well, I rinsed it, patted it dry, threw on some salt, pepper and garlic powder and tossed it in the crock pot with some potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots. About an hour or 2 before it was finished, I added a few sprigs of fresh rosemary from our garden. The chicken turned out kinda dry and the veggies were a little soggy. Alec had to tear that bird apart. I was so done with it.

I also whipped up some meatloaf muffins and mashed potatoes (both in the freezer for Thursday night).

Tonight, I shredded some of the chicken from Sunday, added a little water and some spices (I forgot to get taco seasoning) and simmered with a few scoops of black beans. I made a package of Spanish rice and added some frozen corn at the end. I have to say that was a pretty good dinner!

I have enough chicken left over to make a little chicken & rice casserole with mixed veggies for tomorrow night. Then on Wednesday, we should have plenty of leftovers!

Lesson learned? Buy the rotisserie chicken or stick with the frozen skinless/boneless breasts.

So far so good! Hopefully I can stick with this couponing thing and menu planning so my family can enjoy fast, healthy and cheap meals!

OK! I can do this!

So I clip coupons now and then and save 25 cents here and there. I try to be optimistic and think - well, that's 25 cents more in our pockets! But who are we kidding? That's not a whole lot of savings on a $100 grocery bill.

With prices of everything going up, up, up, I feel like the only thing we have any control over is our weekly grocery bill. And I'm a control freak so...watch out grocery bill!

I've been watching these Extreme Coupon shows and I thought - OK! I can do this! Let me clarify. I'm not looking to buy $2000 worth of groceries for 25 cents. That's crazy! And I don't have the space to stockpile. But it would be nice to save maybe $20 or so.

I researched different couponer websites and I'm in the beginning stages. Let me tell you - this could easily be an addiction. I actually feel this rush when I find a coupon for something on sale. I get nervous when I'm at the register - out of control if I don't know exactly what my total should be after all of my savings. And if the store is out of stock or I misread the fine print, I kinda feel depressed! But the rush of saving - well more than 25 cents - it's so worth it!

I made a binder. It's kinda sad but I'm going to fine tune it. Right now it's a 1" 3 ring binder with baseball card holder sheets for my coupons. I printed a table of contents and divider pages from another couponer's website. I love organization! I want to get a bigger binder, add a spiral notebook, a pencil pouch for my scissors and pens and maybe tabs to my divider pages.

I sorted through my pile of coupons and asked my coworkers to bring coupons they weren't using. I scour the weekly grocery store circulars and match up things on sale with my coupons.

Here's my theory - I'm not buying things I need right now, but I'm buying things I use. Do I need 2 bottles of contact solution right now? No. Does CVS have a sale on contact solution and do I have a coupon for it? Yes. I bought the contact solution. Do I need 8 cans of soup right now? No. Does Walgreens have a sale and do I have a coupon? Yes. I bought the soup.

I don't think I'm necessarily stockpiling. I'm simply buying things we use when they are at the best price I can buy them. I will use the 2 bottles of contact solution and I will eat the 8 cans of soup eventually (Alec doesn't like soup. I'm a little addicted to chicken noodle soup).

I found Food Pyramid doubles coupons. So when they had their $1 sale on many things that we eat, I cleaned house! For example, not only did I get 2 cans of crescent rolls for a $1 each, but I also had 40 cents off 2 so actually I bought 2 cans of crescent rolls for 1.20 or 60 cents each! Score!

Oh - and I'm not brand loyal so I think that helps - except deodorant. I will be sooooo glad when I run out of this Lady Mitchum! Ugh! I need my Secret solid! Lady Mitchum is so not Ph balanced!

My other struggle is meal planning. I'm determined to plan out each week's meals and do as much prep work as I can on Sunday. So here's what we have coming up:

Sunday: Crock pot chicken (whole chickens on sale at Food Pyramid for .79/lb) with potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

Monday: Chicken tacos (left over from Sunday's chicken) and Spanish Rice (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1)

Tuesday: Chicken and rice casserole (I really think this chicken on Sunday is going to stretch!) made with mixed veggies (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1 and cream of chicken soup on sale at Walgreens for .79)

Wednesday: Leftovers (we are starting a class at church on Wednesday nights - limited dinner time)

Thursday: Meatloaf (thanks, Edwards Ranch!), mashed potatoes (maybe left over from Sunday?) and corn

Friday: Meatloaf sandwiches & mac & cheese (on sale at Walgreens for .69)

Saturday: Maybe a nice dinner out using the money I saved from using coupons!

Since we usually sit down for dinner around 6:30 every night, I want to get home and get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. I plan to take about 1 hour on Sunday to prep/precook as much as I can.

I really thing if I take a little time each week (maybe my lunch break that I never take?), I can help our family save a little of money and have better dinners each night. My goal is to get this system down before our boys get big and eat us out of house and home! I can do this!

Our Neck of the Woods

Big things and not so big things happening in our neck of the woods lately...

Thatcher "Bubba" now has 4 teeth and he's diligently working on more!


The boys are taking baths together now - serious fun for everyone!

Thatcher is also on the move - scooting around all over the place! This makes him much more entertaining to Tucker.


They also watch cartoons together!


We've had a few run-ins with wildlife too!

Who knew squirrels liked hen and chickies? My big pot of hen and chickies with only a couple of hens left - that's who! Jerk squirrel!


We also have these feathered friends in a hanging basket. I'm so in love with these fur headed babies!


Our garden is just about done. The only thing thriving is our basil, rosemary and a tomato every now and then which a furkid will devour. That's Mango with a Roma.


Our winter squash is ready to plant! Just needing the temperature to drop 10-20 degrees.


Life is good at Davisville. Babies are growing, love is thriving and blessings are abundant.